Alright, well, I’m stuck at home today. This site doesn’t cover the mortgage, so on days when I’m not at work my wife often has to work at her part-time job.
So far so good on the Trinity/Amherst game, looks like we did the right thing sending Keith McMillan up there. Sounds like a good game at this point, although Teamline keeps cutting out at inopportune times. As best as I can tell, Trinity scored a touchdown on a broken play/bad snap field goal. Amherst came back with a long TD pass, but the PAT was blocked and Trinity returned it for a defensive two-point conversion. Trinity (Conn.) 9, Amherst 6.
Have already heard good stuff from our folks in the field. Apparently there’s a scenario in which the LL comes down to a coin flip. Kings Point and Shenandoah could be candidates for the open MAC slots. Looks like the weather is holding up so far at Central/Wartburg. Rose-Hulman does live stats so we’ve added a link to the Rose-Hulman/DePauw game on the Scoreboard.
Will post more as I surf through games.
LaVerne can’t move, punt is blocked but rolls forward. Oxy takes over at the Oxy 45.
Jones makes a huge reception at the 10, next play is a TD. That didn’t take long – maybe now I know why they’re ranked #7 in the country. Oxy retakes the lead, 24-23 with about 40 seconds left.
Big win today for Union, 28-18. I think this does prove that they are a top 25 team at this point in the year. They really did not even play their best game today and still came out on top. Union has battled all year, sometimes pretty, many times ugly, to get where they are now; undefeated. They deserve respect in Division III football and will hopefully recieve it. I do not feel they will be a stagg bowl contender, but I feel they should make the NCAA tourny. Anyone have any thoughts on next week? Very exciting. Can Union beat RPI? If Union loses are they still in?
Yeah, I think you’re a lock unless you lose 76-0 or something next week.
The Union- RPI game is big stuff in the Capital District. It is one of the nation’s oldest rivalries and always produces good theater. This year will be no exception. The somnolent Union offense of mid season has awakened. RPI will be obsessed with spoiling Union’s perfect season. Throw out stats, comparable scores, and home field advantage. Throw out everything. RPI has a good team. Union wants another undefeated regular season. The momentum of the Union juggernaut of the last twenty five years may just be the difference.
I’m back. Did I miss anything? 🙂
Thanks to East correspondent Tom Wilson, who sent the photo we’re using out front now. Great shot.
“The momentum of the Union juggernaut of the last twenty five years may just be the difference.”
Yeah a teams history is worth two touchdowns alone…..
You had a really good post untill that statement…..
How about Ferrum College’s 63-28 blowout. I really think the only game Ferrum has had to actually play was the Methodist game, in which they allowed Methodist to get back into. Ferrum has been solid all season and breezing through the conference proves it. As for other games, Averett nice win. Union wraps up a very solid season also and Monmouth played like a playoff team today also. Its just been a good day!!!
Hopefully that’s the momentum that shows up and not the momentum of the past four years.
Union has another game today. Don’t put the wraps on their season yet.
Union’s got a rivalry game vs RPI, DVC playing Widener, IC vs Cortland, and Montclair vs Rowan….
Hard to imagine after that loss to Lycoming, but it’s foreseeable that the Bombers could be looking at a #1 seed. We need some help, and a Cortland win, but it’s possible……………..
Pat your going to hate me for bringing this up right now but #24 and #25 lost today and 2 of the 4 teams recieving more points than Ferrum lost today as well. What are the chances of breaking into the top 25?
This is the second time the gentleman from upstate has taken umbrage with my remarks, The last time he impugned my knowledge of the Union players. He was wrong. Furthermore, he stated that Union deserved little consideration as a good team. Union has been to the Stagg Bowl twice, albeit some years ago. They still have one more high hurdle, RPI. But Union knows about winning ways. They have had a wonderful season thus far. No one will remember how they won. But their record will always be indelible. I sense an Ithaca Bomber booster hovering overhead. If that is the case, they have had their way with Union in the years they met in the playoffs. Perhaps a little deference will come this way if Union prevails next week.
I agree with theduke, Union has had many years of being a power. If you ask anyone who has played them during the past years I bet they would say they needed to bring their A game to beat Union. No one claims they are or have been the best. They have, however had a winning program that has demanded respect over the years. Two Stagg bowls and many post season appearences would classify a team as a power. What a great year of division III football altogether so far. Blood is boiling and all of us “Football critics” are spitting words. One thing I do know and sense. For the ducthmen to gain the respect they already deserve it looks like they are going to have to win the Liberty league title next week.
It will be interesting to see if Ferrum can win an opening round game (and more interesting to see how long the starters will play in a no-implications final with CNU).
As I stated before, you may outscore this Ferrum team….but the ’05 squad is good for 24 on anyone in the land of D3!
blackhats – the only way the fc starters should sit next week is if they are up 28+ vs. cnu – the panthers need that win to secure home-field, and i think that’s the ONLY way they win one or two ncaa games…they just don’t have enough quality wins, and unfortunately, cnu won’t be a quality win this year (they’ll be 5-5 if fc beats them) – i’ve doubted ferrum all year, even after they hung on to beat the monarchs at home a few weeks ago – i will tell you, though, the way that fc has won the last 2 weeks has been VERY impressive, and i think you can legitimately say that fc is a top 25 team…i still don’t think they deserve to be ranked ahead of thiel in the regional rankings (thiel is also undefeated but has a win against another regionally ranked team, something ferrum lacks), but they are legit and i hope they carry the usasac flag into at least the second round – congrats to ferrum!
monarchfan
I am pretty sure that Ferrum defeated Methodist without the Monarchs top running back in the game (my apologies, but I forget his name). That was a close game still.
That is one reason (and I never heard that fact mentioned) forwhich I would declare the Ferrum season a complete success with a playoff victory. Winning the conference ain’t too shabby, though.
Dlippiel, Thanks for the backup. No one here is claiming Union as a Stagg Bowl contender this year. In fact, it would be astounding if they made it that far. However, within the context of the Liberty League ( or its antecedents ) they have put together a remarkable record in the last twenty five years. Granted,the last few years have been unremarkable. But no program can sustain championship status ( or something close to that )year in and year out. The Dutchmen have not had a losing season in that time frame. Today a school of Union’s academic caliber would look pretty good getting through the first round of the playoffs.
This week’s Ferrum game vs. CNU has similar implications surrounding it as the game did two years ago; however this time the shoe is on the other foot. Two years ago CNU had already won the conference, but still had to travel to Ferrum for the final game to sew up home field for the first round. The talk all week was about how long the starters would play against Ferrum, and the focus was not on winning the game. Ferrum took advantage of the Captains overlooking them and defeated them and deflated them going into the playoffs. I know that Ferrum learned a lot from that situation, and trust me when I say that Ferrum will give everything that they have to win this game this weekend. They will not be looking past the Captains, and they will be motivated to remain undefeated…for the next five weeks!!!!! EYE ON THE PRIZE BLACK HATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Contrary to some messages I’ve read…..Ferrum hasn’t exactly breezed through the season. Yes, they are undefeated, but they have been knotted up in some games. For instance this weekend, the Panthers were tied with NC Wesleyan 14-14 after the first quarter…yet beat down the Bishops for a 63-28 final. The Methodist game was not a sure thing, nor was the Shenandoah (sp?) game, until late. I believe it was a 28-28 tie at Chowan at the midway point.
Up to this point, and I’m a big fan of seeing it continue, Ferrum has avoided dumb mistakes, executed well and played hard. Kinda like one of those undefeated teams!
Besides the Methodist game, Ferrum’s defense usually does not settle down until the second half. Look at Ferrum’s Point Differential against their opponents through 4 quarters. Methodist was the opposite, a strong start then relax after a 20-0 lead. I expect Ferrum to tighten up the D against CNU and make a statement. However can Ferrum even play in a statement game? Every team which was suppose to be dominate (Shenandoah & CNU) both turned out to have disappointing seasons. The only team,which could have given Ferrum a strong game, was dropped(Wesley). Also my prediction that Ferrum will be 10-0 and not ranked seems VERY likely, unfortunatly.
Some pretty good halftime adjustments on the defensive side by the coaches would explain a lot of that. Coach Davis might be one of the best in the business at that.
Coach Davis did study under legendary coach Hank Norton. Hopefully Davis will continue to build the program back up to the standards which Ferrum College is accustomed. Though we should not get ahead of ourselves, Ferrum should have a better year next year with almost the entire defense returning and a majority of the offense. But we are still thinking about December right now!!!